President, premier urge lawmakers to pass budgetWAGE WRANGLING: Two opposition lawmakers said the legislature would not start the budget review until the Cabinet changes the budget for military and police payBy Yang Mien-chieh and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerPresident William Lai (賴清德) and Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday urged opposition lawmakers to promptly review and pass the general budget for the 2026 fiscal year, warning that delays could disrupt the implementation of key programs and policies. The central government’s NT$3.35 trillion budget for next year includes more than NT$300 billion for local government subsidies, he said. “Swift legislative review is essential so that ministries can coordinate effectively with local governments,” he said. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesLai also urged the Legislative Yuan to pass the central government budget quickly to ensure the smooth execution of planned initiatives. KMT Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) said the Legislative Yuan could start a budget review immediately, provided the Executive Yuan prepares the budget for military and police pay in accordance with the law.

Taiwan celebrates Christmas, kind of, once again after 25 yearsTaiwan is getting a day off on Christmas for the first time in 25 years. The change comes after opposition parties passed a law earlier this year to add or restore five public holidays, including Constitution Day, which falls on today, Dec. 25. The day marks the 1947 adoption of the constitution of the Republic of China, as the government in Taipei is formally known. Back then the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) governed China from Nanjing. When the KMT, now an opposition party in Taiwan, passed the legislation on holidays, it said that they would help “commemorate the history of national development.” That

Temperatures dropped over the weekend, bringing snow to high altitudes in Shei-pa National Park. One hiker, surnamed Lin (林), who on Friday was traveling with a group of six along the Hsuehshan west ridge trail, lost consciousness due to hypothermia and died, the Shei-pa National Park Headquarters said. Hikers must prepare all equipment necessary for the snowy conditions and assess their own physical condition, as well as the risks of hiking, the Taroko park headquarters said. As high-altitude trails have poor reception, hikers should have a satellite communication device and install the park’s hiking app, Taroko park headquarters said. During winter, hikers should cooperate with gear checks and safety guidance conducted by park staff and volunteers at trailheads, Shei-pa park headquarters said.

Army soldiers finish grueling 10-day ranger courseStaff writer, with CNAA group of army soldiers has completed a grueling ranger field training session in the mountains of Taichung, where they endured rugged terrain, extreme fatigue and limited sleep while carrying heavy packs and equipment, the Military News Agency said yesterday. The group consisted of a dozen trainees when the 10-day, nine-night session began at the Army Special Forces Training Center in the rural Guguan (谷關) area in Taichung, with seven finishing the course, the report said. Soldiers participate in a ranger field training course along the Dajia River in Taichung in an undated photograph. Amid extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation, trainees were ordered to launch a strike against hypothetical enemy forces, pushing soldiers to their breaking point. The training session, which has been in place for more than 60 years, is modeled after the US Ranger School.

Lai says Taiwan must raise cost of war to deter ChinaStaff writer, with CNAPresident William Lai (賴清德) said Taiwan must continue to raise the cost of aggression and strengthen its indigenous defense capabilities to deter China, stressing that peace can only be secured through strength, in an interview with Sanlih E-Television that aired yesterday. President William Lai, left, is pictured in an interview with show host Cheng Hung-yi at the Ministry of National Defense Armaments Bureau’s 209th Arsenal in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of the Presidential OfficeLai said China’s ambition to annex Taiwan has been a long-standing national policy, citing past conflicts such as the 1949 Battle of Guningtou and 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis. Within this context, Lai said Taiwan must take responsibility for its own security by strengthening defense and investing in indigenous capabilities. “Taiwan’s industries are ready,” Lai said, urging opposition parties to support defense spending in the interest of national security.

Speaker Han denies he received China supportPUSHBACK: If the Chinese Communist Party had actually interfered in the elections, why is the ‘person in power’ the current leader and not someone else, Han askedBy Lin Hsin-han and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerLegislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday denied allegations that China had supported his campaigns for office, calling it a “cheap and clumsy” smear campaign and a diversion from the administration’s failings. Then-Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Han Kuo-yu speaks at a campaign rally in Kaohsiung in 2018. It is a convenient way to distract from [the Executive Yuan’s] poor governance,” Han wrote on Facebook in response to the report. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) said yesterday that Taiwan could use artificial intelligence to counter disinformation and safeguard elections. Taiwan has many capable companies able to carry out the functions described, without resorting to theatrics or manipulation,” she said.

Party demands release of records on China visitsBy Lin Che-yuan and Jason Pan / Staff reportersThe Ministry of the Interior should disclose records on elected officials’ and civil servants’ trips to China to allow transparency and accountability, Taiwan Statebuilding Party Chairman Wang Hsing-huan (王興煥) said yesterdayReleasing the records would enable citizens to scrutinize the activities of their representatives during visits to China, to deter collusion and “gray zone” tactics from eroding Taiwan’s democracy, Wang said. Taiwan Statebuilding Party Chairman Wang Hsing-huan speaks in an undated photograph. Photo: Taipei TimesThe ministry should disclose trips to China by elected officials and civil servants, releasing itineraries and records at regular intervals, he said. The Taiwan Statebuilding Party endorses the Cabinet’s efforts to enhance transparency on these trips to protect national security, Wang said. Elected officials serve the public, and legislators especially have the power to review and approve the government’s budget, making strict public oversight essential, he said.

MOI faulted for failing to prevent starfish outbreakStaff writer, with CNAThe Control Yuan yesterday faulted the Ministry of the Interior for failing to act promptly after receiving early warnings of a crown-of-thorns starfish outbreak in Dongsha Atoll National Park, urging corrective measures and long-term follow-ups to protect the coral reefs. Academic teams detected an abnormal number of starfish in the park in 2019 and 2023, and reported their findings to the ministry, Control Yuan member Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) said. Official estimates showed that the outbreak has affected about 60 hectares of reef and that there were about 74,000 starfish at its peak. Despite intensive removal efforts, there are still about 30,000 starfish remaining and they continue to threaten coral ecosystems, Tien said. The Control Yuan urged the Executive Yuan to coordinate across agencies to streamline access procedures, bolster frontline capacity and improve monitoring of high-risk areas.

Concerns regarding too-heavy children’s bags raisedBy Lai Hsiao-tung and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerParents have raised concerns about the excessive weight of elementary-school students’ backpacks, saying children struggle to breathe under the strain. Backpacks should not be heavier than 15 percent of a child’s body weight, he said, adding that load tolerance varies per person. The increase in online learning resources powered by artificial intelligence has also helped in efforts to reduce backpack weight, he said. However, heavy bags are still common in schools, especially for shorter, young students, whose backpacks nearly match their body size, he added. He suggested that parents purchase lightweight backpacks, check their contents regularly and help their children organize their bags to foster responsibility, good habits and parent-child interaction.

Taiwan celebrates Christmas, kind of, once again after 25 yearsTaiwan is getting a day off on Christmas for the first time in 25 years. The change comes after opposition parties passed a law earlier this year to add or restore five public holidays, including Constitution Day, which falls on today, Dec. 25. The day marks the 1947 adoption of the constitution of the Republic of China, as the government in Taipei is formally known. Back then the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) governed China from Nanjing. When the KMT, now an opposition party in Taiwan, passed the legislation on holidays, it said that they would help “commemorate the history of national development.” That

Nvidia reaches tech deal with GroqAI TALENT: No financial details were released about the deal, in which top Groq executives, including its CEO, would join Nvidia to help advance the technology Nvidia Corp has agreed to a licensing deal with artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Groq, furthering its investments in companies connected to the AI boom and gaining the right to add a new type of technology to its products. The world’s largest publicly traded company has paid for the right to use Groq’s technology and is to integrate its chip design into future products. Some of the start-up’s executives are leaving to join Nvidia to help with that effort, the companies said. Groq would continue as an independent company with a new chief executive, it said on Wednesday in a post on its Web

Gasoline and diesel prices set to rise slightlyBy Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporterGasoline and diesel prices at domestic fuel stations are to rise NT$0.4 per liter this week, after international crude oil prices last week snapped a two-week losing streak, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) announced yesterday. Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to rise to NT$26.8, NT$28.3 and NT$30.3 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said in separate statements. The price of premium diesel is to rise to NT$25.2 per liter at CPC stations and NT$25 at Formosa pumps, they said. Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — last week gained 0.28 percent to settle at US$60.64 per barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures — the US oil benchmark — increased 0.39 percent to US$56.74 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Why AI could make human jazz popular againAI might be able to create competent pop music, but it would not replace the joy and wonder of watching skilled musicians perform liveBy Jonathan Levin / Bloomberg OpinionAs a musician and music lover, the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution terrifies me in many ways. AI apps such as Suno have already shown extraordinary potential to generate catchy and professionally produced music in certain genres. That model might point to a path of survival for other human artists looking to carve out a niche in our AI future. Virtuosos would be celebrated, much as great athletes are, as living celebrations of what can be accomplished with hard work, even without machines. It has been nearly a century since jazz dominated popular music and six decades since the massive hit albums of Davis, Coltrane, Dave Brubeck and others.

Robotaxis draw criticismReuters, SAN FRANCISCOA widespread power outage in San Francisco that led to Waymo robotaxis blocking traffic earlier this month has raised concerns about the readiness of autonomous vehicle operators to handle major emergencies such as earthquakes and floods. A Waymo vehicle drives on Drumm Street during a break between rain storms in downtown San Francisco on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. Robotaxi operators across the globe use remote access by humans — known in the industry as “teleoperation” — in varying degrees to monitor and control vehicles. “The whole point of having remote operations is for humans to be there when the system is not responsive in the way it should be,” she said. “The federal government needs to regulate remote operations,” Cummings said.

Takaichi, Mario and the Year of the Fire HorseBy Gearoid Reidy / Bloomberg OpinionEvery year, Japanese vote for a single Chinese character to sum up the past 12 months. There was a much better option: the character 高, pronounced kou or taka — as in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi has a generational opportunity to cash in on her popularity and secure her grip on power. Both men would aim to be part of Samurai Japan, the squad for March’s World Baseball Classic. Nonetheless, the Fire Horse is a timely reminder for a country on the front lines of demographic change.